Stromboli
by The Crimson Tide
Summary: Luke and Lorelai have lunch together after hectic mornings at work :) *Chapter 4 uploaded!*
1. Bad Mornings

A/N - I have no idea where this came from so please forgive me in advance.  
  
Pairing - Luke/Lorelai  
  
Summary - Luke and Lorelai have lunch together after hectic mornings at work.  
  
  
  
Stromboli  
  
  
  
"Oh my God...." Lorelai grumbled as she made her way out the "conference room" that was holding one of her mother's infamous DAR meetings, which were now being held at the Inn. She walked past the front desk and went behind it, only to see her mother slip out of the room and inch toward the desk also.  
  
"What is it now, Mom?" Lorelai groaned and walked out from behind the desk to meet her.  
  
"The turkey is very dry." Emily stated, looking amusingly annoyed.  
  
"Okay." Lorelai shrugged. "Um, do you want me to make new?"  
  
"Where's Sookie?" Emily demanded.  
  
"Sick. I thought we already went over this, she's sick. She has the flu." Lorelai's voice sounded more annoyed with her mother then usual.  
  
"Was it really necessary for her to miss work? She could've just came in for an hour or so to prepare the food for the meeting and left, afterward, but no, she just had to stay home." Emily crossed her arms over her chest and looked behind her at the DAR room worriedly.  
  
"Or something less selfish." Lorelai sighed. "Do you want new turkey or not? Because if I have to endure this nonsense any longer, it could kill me and then what? If I die, your little DAR friends won't have anything to nibble on. So, what's it gonna be?"  
  
Emily rambled on. "The bread is practically rotted, the table cloths are filthy and don't even get me started on that appetizer. What was that, anyway? Some kind of disgusting fast-food concoction that I've never heard of before?"  
  
"Argh!" Lorelai yelled to herself and pretended to pull her hair out. She walked away from her mom and headed for the front door.  
  
"Hey, where are you going?" Emily called after Lorelai.  
  
"Home!" Lorelai shouted, not turning around, and walked swiftly out the door. She slammed it shut, drowning out the nuscience that was her mother's voice.  
  
"What about the turkey?" Emily shouted to the closed door.  
  
**********  
  
"Is my food ready, yet?" Some older man with thinning hair yelled to Luke from across the room.  
  
"Where's my eggs?" Kirk asked him, while sitting at the counter annoyingly tapping his nails.  
  
"It's coming." Luke sighed in exhaustion.  
  
"Well hurry up." Kirk said and continued to tap his nails.  
  
'Stop that!" Luke's voice rose and he stomped off into the kitchen. He slammed the door shut before banging his fist against the stove, burning his hand. "Ahhh! Hot, hot." He turned the faucet on and let the cold water pour over his throbbing wound. Luke moaned and let his head hit the table next to the stove droopily.  
  
"Bad day?" Jess asked while walking past his exasperated uncle.  
  
"Shouldn't you be in school?"  
  
"If it wasn't Saturday, yeah, I suppose so." Jess shook his head and walked out of the kitchen.  
  
Luke shook his head puzzled and whispered to himself. "It's Saturday?" He sighed and slumped into a chair. "Man, I gotta get out of here." He glanced over at Caesar and smiled hopefully. Caesar rolled his eyes and nodded. Luke jumped up and made his way through the crowded diner, people yelling at him from right and left about their food.  
  
**********  
  
Lorelai entered Doose's market to pick up some junk food so she could go home and relax. She walked down the cookie aisle, throwing various items into her cart.  
  
"Oooooh, Oreo's! Yum." She grinned happily as she threw three bags into her cart.  
  
"Three bags?"  
  
Lorelai whipped around and saw Luke shaking his head behind her. "Of course." She grinned. "One bag is never enough for one person and with Rory home, that means two bags aren't enough for two people, so three bags should suffice just fine."  
  
"Nice logic." Luke nodded. "So, why aren't you at the Inn?"  
  
"Hmmm, I don't know, why aren't you at the diner?" She smiled slyly while throwing more cookies into her cart.  
  
"I asked you first."  
  
"And I asked you second." Lorelai smiled proudly.  
  
"Right, so that means you answer first and I answer second."  
  
"My mother's there." She stated as if the answer would clear up all of the confusion.  
  
Luke cocked his head sideward and looked confused. "So?"  
  
"My mother is there so that means I'm not there. And for your information, I love my turkey. It is not dry or burnt, how could she even say that! I'm a great cook."  
  
Luke's eyes widened. "You cooked?"  
  
Lorelai rolled her eyes. "Yes, Luke, I cooked."  
  
"Food?" Luke asked again in disbelief.  
  
"No, cockroaches. Yes, food. And, and, I used the stove! You know, that big square hot thing that people usually have in their kitchens. It has knobs and little button-y thingys on it."  
  
"I know what a stove is, mine tried to kill me today." He held up his hand that had painful looking red marks on it and was all blistered.  
  
"Wow, it must really hate you. I know why, it's because you didn't name it. You have a sad, lonely, anonymous stove."  
  
"No, actually I punched it while it was on and I burnt myself." He shrugged. "I'll live."  
  
Lorelai scoffed. "But what about your stove? Do you think it likes strange diner men beating it up? Poor, pathetic, un-named stove."  
  
"Well I guess all three of us are having a bad day then, you, me, and the stove." Luke said as he followed Lorelai over to the cash register.  
  
"Hey, Luke, why don't you take the day off. You should come back to our house and help me and Rory digest all this food."  
  
"That isn't food, that's garbage." Luke retorted.  
  
"Okay, you should come back to our house and help me and Rory digest all this garbage." Lorelai made a face. "Ugh, it's somehow much less appetizing that way. I'll stick with food. So, are you up for spending the whole afternoon with us?"  
  
"Do I even have a choice?" Luke smiled and helped Lorelai carry all of her groceries to the Jeep.  
  
"Nope, so are you coming?" Lorelai asked as she opened the passenger side door and gestured for him to hop in. "C-mon, it'll be fun. You need a day off."  
  
Luke nodded and him and Lorelai drove off to her house.  
  
To be continued............  
  
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Ugh, this bites....no actually this really sucks. Please review anyway!!!! Thanks! 


	2. Stromboli World

A/N - I forgot to mention that this story takes place a few days after "Back In The Saddle Again". "Teach Me Tonight" never happens. Ugh, I wish it didn't......Luke and Lorelai forever.....they need to make up NOW!!!! :)  
  
Stromboli - Part 2  
  
  
  
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"Rory!" Lorelai called to her daughter as she entered her home, with Luke not far behind her. "Rory, get your butt out here, I got food!" She continued.  
  
After a few moments, Lorelai walked into Rory's bedroom, only to find nothing. She made a pouty face, then left the room to search the rest of the house. When she discovered no Rory, she walked back out into the living room and slumped onto the couch beside Luke.  
  
"What's wrong?" He asked, noticing her dejected face.  
  
"Rory's not home." She looked over at Luke with a long face on.  
  
"You're not supposed to be home either, you know." Luke smiled and started unpacking all of Lorelai's food from the grocery bags.  
  
""Yeah, well, either are you." She grinned and helped Luke carry the groceries into the kitchen.  
  
As Luke began placing the food into cupboards, he sighed. "C-mon, didn't you buy any real food?"  
  
She patted her bag of Doritos and smiled. "Nope, all junk. And you have to eat it too, because this house is completely free of anything even remotely healthy."  
  
Luke rolled his eyes and continued putting things away, grabbing the Doritos from Lorelai's hands and shoving them into a drawer. As he moved on to more drawers and cabinets, he noticed that they had all been empty. "Just how long has it been since you've been food shopping?"  
  
"Hmmm, a while. I usually just send Rory over to the market, but she's just been swamped with school stuff lately. She's probably at the library studying or something."  
  
Luke nodded. "She's a good kid."  
  
"Well, that's only because she has an excellent mom." Lorelai smiled and grabbed all of her snacks. "Now, let's eat. What movie do you wanna watch?"  
  
He shrugged and followed her into the living room again and sat down next to her on the couch. She tossed him a bag of chips and grinned.  
  
Luke looked at her skeptically. "I am not eating this stuff for lunch."  
  
"Ugh, okay, fine. Go back to the diner and get some real food. I'll wait here and refrain myself from starting without you."  
  
He sat thoughtfully for a second, then shook his head. "Nah, I don't wanna go back to the diner, I came here to get away from the diner."  
  
"Then eat up." She said while throwing a bag of Oreo's onto his lap.  
  
Luke glared at her for a second before handing the bag back to her. "I have a better idea, that does not involve me and the Oreo's."  
  
"Do tell."  
  
"Why don't we go somewhere else for lunch, then come back here to watch the movie?"  
  
Lorelai nodded slowly while thinking. "Okay, sure. But, where in that scenario do I get to eat my cookies?" She clutched the Oreo bag up to her heart and pretended to be emotionally attached to the cookies.  
  
"You can eat them during the movie, that is if you have room after lunch."  
  
"Of course I'll have room. My stomach is just a smaller version of a never- ending, eternal, non-stopping, non-ceasing, giant manhole."  
  
"Okay, my mistake. You can eat them during the movie, because you will have room after lunch. That better?"  
  
Lorelai nodded. "Much. So, where do you wanna go?" She asked him, grabbing her jean jacket off of the couch's arm.  
  
"Doesn't matter, I'm just starving." Luke said as he grabbed his coat and followed Lorelai out the door.  
  
Lorelai shivered. "Oooh, chilly. What happened? It was like eighty degrees a few minutes ago." She stuck her hands into her pockets to keep them warm, and the two of them got into her car. "Where are we going?" She asked him as she settled in to the driver's seat.  
  
"Anywhere, as long as it's not the diner."  
  
"Luke, you're being too picky." She smiled and started the ignition. "If you won't decide, then I'm taking you to Al's."  
  
"You can't be serious." He looked over at her worriedly, since Al's Pancake World was Luke's Diner biggest competitor.  
  
"Oh, yes I can, so pick a restaurant." She urged as they exited the driveway.  
  
Luke sighed, then reluctantly agreed. "Okay, how about that little luncheonette place, you know, the one that still has the giant Santa on the roof?"  
  
Lorelai groaned and shook her head furiously. "No, we can't eat there, pick another place."  
  
"Why can't we eat there?"  
  
"We just can't. Ooh, I know! We can go to Fran's and get cupcakes." She smiled happily, avoiding Luke's question.  
  
"Why can't we go to the Santa place?" Luke smiled, knowing she would confess soon.  
  
Lorelai paused for a second, until she finally sighed and gave in. "I got kicked out, okay?"  
  
Luke laughed. "You got kicked out of the Santa place? For doing what?" He stifled his laughs when he saw her glaring at him from the corner of her eye.  
  
She continued. "Stupid Santa people...they have this rule, it's one cup of coffee per person, no refills. So, after I drank the first disgustingly small cup they gave me, I went behind the counter when nobody was looking and illegally poured a second cup."  
  
Luke smiled and held in his laughs. "Yeah, and?"  
  
"And, it turns out that somebody had been looking, the manager in fact. Anyway, to make a long story short, I'm not allowed back into that place. Ever."  
  
Luke shook his head. "You really like your coffee."  
  
"Yes I do, and that one cup policy is absolutely ridiculous." Lorelai made a face and cringed.  
  
"It's not that ridiculous."  
  
"No, no, Luke! Please don't get any ideas." She begged him.  
  
"I'm not, and even if I did, would that stop you anyway?"  
  
"Of course not." She answered knowingly. After a few seconds, she turned to him and flashed him a warm smile. "My day was going really bad, until now, thanks for coming with me, Luke." She turned her head back to face the road. Luke just grinned and was quiet for a while. They drove around for quite a while, not really realizing the time that was quickly passing by. Once they were way past the town of Stars Hollow, their hunger struck them again, so they finally decided to stop at a place called "Stromboli World".  
  
"Oh, lord. Lorelai, what is this place?" He questioned as they pulled into the parking lot.  
  
"Stromboli World." She answered matter-of-factly and got out of the Jeep. Luke reluctantly stepped out and trailed behind her into the restaurant.  
  
They walked in and saw the hostess, looking bored with her job.  
  
"Two?" She asked.  
  
"Yeah, non-smoking." Lorelai answered and they followed her to their table.  
  
Once seated, Lorelai glanced around and smiled. "This place is cute and it smells really good." Lorelai breathed in and grinned with her eyes closed.  
  
"It's just a fancy pizza place." Luke said, trying to deflate her enthusiasm.  
  
"Uh-uh, it's a fancy stromboli place." She corrected him, opening her eyes.  
  
"Do you even know what a stromboli is?" He smiled and started reading the menu.  
  
"Isn't it just a rolled up piece of pizza?"  
  
"Yup, so it is pizza then, right?" Luke looked up and saw Lorelai cringe.  
  
"No, it's stromboli." She said again and smiled triumphantly. "It's much different then pizza."  
  
"Right." Luke nodded, not really believing her.  
  
"What're you having?" The waitress asked them abruptly.  
  
"Um, I'll have the pepperoni stromboli." Lorelai told her while eyeing the person next to her, eating one.  
  
"I'll just have a salad." Luke said while the waitress scribbled everything down. After they finished eating, they returned home to watch the movie. Since they traveled so far away from home to eat lunch, it took them a long time to get back, so by the time they reached Lorelai's house, it was eight o' clock.  
  
"Still up for the movie?" Lorelai asked him, walking into the house and hanging up her coat.  
  
"Sure, but since you picked the restaurant, let me pick the movie, deal?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah, deal, deal." She mumbled as they walked into the living room and made themselves comfortable on the couch.  
  
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*Yay!!!! I got good reviews!!!! I like this chapter better then the first, I might replace the first one, I'm not sure. Please review, they really make my day! :)* 


	3. Movie Talks

Stromboli - Part 3  
  
  
  
Lorelai got up from the couch immediately when she remembered that Rory had not been home before. So, when she wandered around the house in search of her missing daughter, Luke rummaged through their ridiculously large video collection. After a few seconds, Lorelai came back into the living room looking visibly worried.  
  
"She's not home, yet." She said warily as she sank into the couch cushions.  
  
Luke shrugged and walked toward the couch. "She's probably just out with Dean." He grabbed a movie, along with Lorelai's cookies, and sat down beside her. "Or maybe she's with Lane."  
  
"Well, then how come she didn't call me?" Lorelai pouted and sank down further into the couch.  
  
"Did you check the answering machine?" He glanced at her, smiling wryly.  
  
"Hmm, that would make sense, I'll be right back." She ran quickly over to the machine and listened to the messages intently. When Rory's voice filled the room, Lorelai's muscles relaxed a great deal and she let out a deep breath that she didn't even realize was withheld. The message informed Lorelai that she was studying at Lane's house and, if Mrs. Kim will allow her, she'd probably end up staying the night. Luke watched Lorelai as her face turned into smiles and all the worries about Rory's whereabouts washed away, and he couldn't help but smile also. When the message ended, she turned away from the machine and faced Luke, smiling contently.  
  
Lorelai grinned and walked toward the couch. "She's fine." She stated. Luke nodded and glanced at her warmly. She eyed the movie in his hands.  
  
"Ooh, what movie did you pick? 'Naughty Ski Babes'?" She wiggled her eyebrows and opened her bag of cookies, letting her relieved body fall into the comfort of the couch.  
  
"That's highly unlikely, considering you don't actually own 'Naughty Ski Babes'."  
  
"And how would you know?" She frowned.  
  
"Because I went through all your videos and I don't recall seeing anything about skiing prostitutes in there."  
  
"You obviously didn't look hard enough. You disappoint me, Luke." She mockingly shook her head. "So, what's the verdict?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"What movie are we watching?" She stuffed an Oreo into her mouth and mumbled.  
  
"'What Lies Beneath'." He answered and shook his head. "It's the only semi- normal movie you possess, so that's what we're watching. No complaining." He pointed at her when he said that.  
  
"But, Luke, that's a scary movie!" She protested.  
  
He shrugged. "So?"  
  
"So, I'll get scared!"  
  
"Um, isn't that kinda the point?" He looked at her oddly.  
  
"C-mon, pick a happier movie." She urged him.  
  
"What? No way. You had me sit in that 'Stromboli Palace', or whatever it's called, for an hour and a half, so I get to pick the movie and this is what I picked." He held it up.  
  
"'Stromboli World'" She replied.  
  
"What?"  
  
"It's not 'Stromboli Palace', it's 'Stromboli World'" She corrected him, smiling. "Yeah, fine. We'll watch your scary, evil, mean, sad, bitter movie instead of my heart-warming, romantic, funny, comedy."  
  
"Thank-you." He said and put the movie into the VCR.  
  
She smiled and looked at him. "Hey, Luke?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I agree to watch the scary one, but I warn you, I'm pretty insane while watching scary movies."  
  
"You're pretty insane all the time." He smiled and shook his head. "I can handle it."  
  
"Okay, but don't say you haven't been warned." She smiled back at him and grabbed a giant bowl of popcorn from off of the coffee table. "Hey, I made this for you before. It's all bland and low-fat, so I thought you'd like it. It's pretty disgusting if you ask me, though."  
  
He nodded, smiling, and took it from her. "Thanks."  
  
"Are you cold?" She asked him, noticing that he was a little pale.  
  
"Slightly, yeah." He admitted.  
  
She nodded and reached behind her for a plaid-patterned, soft blanket, that was placed on the table behind the couch. "Blanket?"  
  
"Sure." He took one half of it and she took the other half. They shared an awkward smile before turning the movie on. When they reached the part of the movie where Michelle Pfeiffer's character, Clare, finds out that her husband is a cold-hearted killer, she turned over to look at Luke.  
  
"Luke?" She asked him.  
  
"Yeah?" He turned away from the movie and looked at Lorelai.  
  
"This part always gives me the creeps." She shuddered.  
  
"Why? This part isn't even scary." He laughed lightly.  
  
"It's just weird. I mean, you think you know someone, and then 'Bam!' you find out their actually a killer." She pauses for a second then smiled over at Luke. "You're not a killer, right?"  
  
"Wouldn't you like to know." He smiled mischievously and turned his head back to the movie.  
  
She laughed and turned to him. "Oh, you are not. But, what I meant was, do you have any secrets from me? I mean big secrets, not like the color of your boxer shorts or anything."  
  
He thought for a second before answering. "I don't really have a life, so there's really no way for me to even have secrets."  
  
"Not even one? C-mon, we all have secrets. You don't have to tell me all of them, just one."  
  
"I'm telling you, I don't have any." He answered unconvincingly.  
  
"Okay, ask me something that you don't already know about me and I'll answer honestly, but then you gotta do the same for me, okay?" She made him promise.  
  
He sighed and gave in. "Yeah, okay."  
  
"Goody." She flicked off the movie and moved herself so she was sitting across form Luke. "Okay, so, what color are your boxer shorts, exactly?"  
  
"Oh, jeez, Lorelai." He blushed and turned away from her gaze.  
  
"Just kidding. You get to go first, anyway."  
  
He thought for a very long time before finally deciding on a question. Before he asked her it, he wrung his hands nervously and let out a shaky breath. "Why didn't you marry Max? Or Rory's dad?" He finally got it out and looked her in the eyes again. The pain of both relationships sent streaks of sadness through her eyes, but she did promise to answer him.  
  
"I really don't know, um, I guess I just didn't love them. I mean, I love Christopher, but not in that 'long term' kind of way. And Max just got so edgy and weird before our wedding that it just kind of turned me off a little. The first night he stayed with us, he was great, but then, I don't know, he just got really weird." Lorelai finished her answer, then realized it was her turn. "My turn now."  
  
Luke sighed. "Fine, what do you wanna know?"  
  
"Hmmm, so many lurking questions, which one do I choose?" She asked herself out loud. "Okay, why do you hate the idea of marriage so much?"  
  
"I told you why, already. It's a completely pointless ceremony that kings and queens made up just so their kids wouldn't have sex."  
  
"So, what, your never going to get married? Ever?" She questioned him again.  
  
"That's another question." He pointed out.  
  
"I'm just curious." She smiled warmly at him and patted his shoulder. "I worry about you sometimes."  
  
"Worried about what?" He laughed a little and looked confused.  
  
She sighed and looked around the room, then back to him. "I just want you to be happy. You shouldn't be afraid of commitment just because Rachael left you. And if she's that stupid to leave such a wonderful person like you, then she obviously isn't the one, anyway."  
  
"You think that's why I don't like marriage? Because of Rachael?" He questioned, not quite comfortable with the depth of conversation they were getting into.  
  
"Yeah, I do. I know she hurt you, but you shouldn't give up on women just yet, there are so many more 'Rachaels' out there, just dying to be with someone like you."  
  
He sighed. "Yeah, I guess you're right. But, I have a little trouble with the whole 'asking a woman out' thing. Actually, more like a lot of trouble." He admitted.  
  
"Why?" She looked surprised.  
  
"I don't know, I guess I just don't want the rejection." He turned to face the blank screen of the television.  
  
"Why do you assume there would be rejection? I mean, Rachael was stunning and she went out with you, why wouldn't other girls?"  
  
Luke looked depressed all of a sudden and he asked Lorelai if they could just watch the movie for a while and finish this conversation the following day.  
  
She nodded. "Sure, I'm sorry if I, uh, I don't know, made you sad or anything." She looked him in the eyes apologetically.  
  
"Nah, I'm okay." He smiled warmly and they both watched the rest of the movie in a peaceful silence.  
  
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To be continued….  
  
  
  
*Okay, this chapter is pretty bad, but it'll get better, I promise. Sorry lol. Please review! Even if it's just for flames!* 


	4. Just Because?

Stromboli - Part 4  
  
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"Chemistry will be the death of me." Lane Kim sighed, closing her textbook before flopping onto her bed.  
  
"C-mon, just study for a few more minutes, I promise that you'll get it this time." Rory reassured her while opening up the book again. "Okay, just explain to me what the-"  
  
"Lane!" Mrs. Kim shouted, walking up the stairs into Lane's bedroom. "Lane, I thought I told you that you had to go to bed an hour ago." She turned to face Rory. "Rory, what are you still doing here?"  
  
"I'm sorry Mrs. Kim, but we just got caught up in something." Rory apologized.  
  
"Can Rory stay the night?" Lane asked her mom while sitting up on the neatly made bed and folding her hands together.  
  
"No, you got an B- in Chemistry and I told you, not until you bring it up to an A, will I even consider it. Now, go home Rory." Mrs. Kim motioned her hands toward the door and gestured for Rory to leave.  
  
She nodded and stood up. "Right away." She smiled and tossed the thick- paged chemistry book onto Lane's lap. "Study, so I can come over next week." She said and waved good-bye to her friend before walking out of the room.  
  
When Rory got to her house, she heard loud, uncontrollable laughter coming from inside as she walked up her driveway.  
  
She whispered to herself. "What the heck?" Rory smiled suspiciously as she pressed her ear up against the wooden door of the house. When she heard Luke's voice, a tiny gasp escaped from her lips and she let out a confused giggle. She opened the door slowly and quietly before peering inside. As soon as she walked into the living room, she saw popcorn flying through the air and Lorelai's unmistakable happiness floating through the room.  
  
"What are you two crazy kids up to?" Rory smiled as she made her way nearer to them.  
  
Quick on their feet, they turned to face her. Luke cleared his throat and gave Rory an unsure smile. "Oh, hey, Rory. We were just..um...uh."  
  
"Watching a movie." Lorelai finished for him then added in a hushed voice. "You missed it, Luke was laughing." She whispered in a quiet giggle.  
  
"Wow, interesting." Rory agreed and sat down on the couch next to her mom.  
  
Lorelai nodded. "I know, I was scared at first, too, but I'm getting used to it now." Lorelai smiled over at Luke, who was rolling his eyes. "He sounds kind of like a goose."  
  
"What?" Luke asked.  
  
"You know, one of those big, tone deaf, squawking geese that poop all over your yard in the summer. Oh God, they are so annoying at night." Lorelai shuddered.  
  
"I do not sound like a goose." Luke retorted, slightly smiling, while getting up from the couch. "Well, I should get going. Thanks for the movie, it was surprisingly good."  
  
"Of course it was." Lorelai grinned.  
  
Luke shook his head. "Bye. See you tomorrow morning."  
  
"Hmmm, maybe not. I might be up all night laughing at your goose impersonations. Now, try not to laugh too hard tonight or you'll annoy the neighbors." Lorelai added while laying down against the arm of the couch.  
  
"Well, if I don't see you for breakfast, I'll see you at dinner." He smiled and grabbed his coat. "Bye."  
  
Lorelai waved good-bye to him as Rory did the same. As soon as the front door closed, Rory gaped at her mom.  
  
Lorelai looked at Rory curiously. "What? Do I have popcorn in my teeth or something?"  
  
A slow smile appeared on Rory's face as she leaned in closer to her mom. "Why was Luke here?"  
  
"We were just watching a movie." Lorelai said again while sitting up.  
  
"Hmmm...you guys don't do that very often. Why the sudden need to watch movies with Luke?"  
  
"You know, just because." She smiled falsely and started cleaning up the mess they had made.  
  
Rory squinted her eyes curiously. "Just because?"  
  
"Just because." Lorelai repeated.  
  
"Is there anything going on with you two that I should know about?" Rory grinned and followed Lorelai into the kitchen where she was throwing out some garbage.  
  
"No, there is nothing going on. We both had a bad day, that's all. In fact, Miss. Nosy, all three of us were gonna watch that movie but when we got here there was no you so we had to watch it alone."  
  
Rory just smiled, unconvinced, and started making some coffee.  
  
"What? You don't believe me? Go ask Luke, I was looking for you all over the house to watch it with us."  
  
"Well, it didn't look like you were pining away for my existence when I got home." Rory smiled and poured her and Lorelai some coffee. "I could hear you guys laughing all the way down the street."  
  
Lorelai frowned. "Could not."  
  
"Could to."  
  
"Could not."  
  
"Yes, I could. You were having a good time with Luke, just admit it." Rory told her and gave her a knowing look.  
  
"Well, maybe you heard him honking but you certainly did not hear me, I was being quiet."  
  
"You would lie to your own daughter? Your own flesh and blood?" Rory gasped and shook her head. Then she grinned and talked loudly in a sing-song voice. "You've got a crush, you've got a crush."  
  
"I do not!"  
  
"My mom's liar, my mom's a liar." Rory laughed then looked a bit more serious. "You need to tell him, Mom."  
  
"Tell him what?"  
  
"That you like him." Rory took a huge gulp of her coffee before throwing it into the sink. "I'm going to bed, see you in the morning." She smiled slyly before kissing Lorelai's cheek. When she started for her bedroom, she heard Lorelai's voice again.  
  
"You really think he likes me?" She asked quietly in slight disbelief.  
  
"Yeah, I do." Rory strolled back over to where her mom was staring into space and squeezed her around the shoulders tightly. "Don't worry about it."  
  
Lorelai nodded her head and smiled weakly up at her daughter. "I-I won't. Night sweets."  
  
"Tomorrow." Rory said again, referring to her mom telling Luke she likes him. "Tell him tomorrow, I'll eat breakfast at home for once."  
  
"That's not safe, you know. You're highly allergic to home-cooked meals." Lorelai grinned at her excuse for Rory having to go to Luke's.  
  
"What?"  
  
Lorelai turned around to face Rory in shock. "You mean I never told you? That's why we eat out so much, you could die from home-cooking. Please, Rory, for the sake of your own survival, come with me tomorrow."  
  
"Mom, you are going into Luke's tomorrow....without me. Case closed."  
  
Lorelai nodded. "Yes, Mommy."  
  
*****************************************************************  
  
Lorelai walked sluggishly through the town, heading for Luke's. When she reached the glass door, her heart skipped a few beats and she seriously considered going back home and telling Rory that Luke's had burned down to the ground in a tragic demise.  
  
She sighed deeply then muttered to herself. "I can't do this." She shook her head and pushed the door open, taking a seat at one of those cornered tables near the back of the diner, far away from the counter. Deep in concentration, she didn't notice Luke standing behind her.  
  
"Where's Rory?"  
  
His voice startled her and she whipped around nervously, knocking a few menus onto the floor.  
  
Luke eyed her suspiciously and bent down to retrieve the menus. "You okay this morning?" He asked her.  
  
"Oh, yeah, fine. Fresh as a daisy." She said quickly, grinning falsely, while fiddling with the end of the table cloth.  
  
"If you say so. You want coffee?" He smiled wryly, knowing the answer.  
  
"Yeah, and a muffin. Thanks." She spoke quietly and then continued to not look at him.  
  
After watching him walk away from the table, she buried her face in her hands and shook it mournfully.  
  
"Oh man, what was Rory thinking?" She whispered to herself, barely audible.  
  
She sat there, pondering the question, waiting for Luke to return. What would she say to him?  
  
*****************************************************************  
  
*I'm so slow with the actual "getting together" part, but, it will come soon. Probably not in the next chapter though. I LOVE reviews! They make me SO happy and feel special!* 


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